Adelaide City Council admits Chinatown needs facelift

“Irena Zhang says that Chinatown Adelaide’s Moonta Street thoroughfare has been left behind as Adelaide City Councillor Houssam Abiad leads a push for the destination to reap similar benefits and upgrades to Rundle Mall and the East End. After successfully passing a motion at the last council meeting of the year that a report into repairing and beautifying the precinct be prepared, Mr Abiad said it had been a long time coming.

Ms Zhang said the $2 million revamp of a food hall off Moonta St should act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the entire surrounding precinct. “We all know that Chinatown is an attraction and it is almost embarrassing to look at it now. A lot of it is in bad condition, particularly along Moonta St,” she said.

Chinatown Adelaide of South Australia (CASA) vice president George Chin said the area was one of the city’s busiest and had continually shown exponential growth, making it deserving of investment from the Adelaide City Council.

“Moonta St just a few years ago had the most foot traffic in the city,” Mr Chin said. “The last substantial expenditure from the Adelaide City Council was in 2004 and was about $1.4 million. We must work together on this as there is lots that they can do to help reinvigorate the area.” A report into the Chinatown reinvigoration is expected to be prepared for council by mid next year.